Ministry of Earth Sciences
Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Earth Sciences
Alerts for various cyclone storms during the year
Low cost device for ocean states forecast and mapping potential fishing zones launched
Silver Jubilee celebrations of National Institute of Ocean Technology  held in Chennai
Alerts for various cyclone storms during the year:
During the year, various alerts and timely warnings were issued regarding Cyclonic storms, Heavy rainfall warning, Sea condition, Storm Surge Warning, Damage Expected, pre-cyclone alerts and expected damage, etc.
The alerts were issued for Cyclonic Storm ‘PABUK’ over Andaman Sea & neighbourhood, Cyclone ‘FANI’ over Southwest Bay & adjoining Southeast of Bengal, Cyclone Alert for Odisha, West Bengal & Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram Districts of Andhra Pradesh Coasts, Cyclonic Storm ‘VAYU’ over Northeast & adjoining East central Arabian Sea, Depression over northwest Bay of Bengal off north Odisha – West Bengal coasts, Cyclonic Storm ‘HIKAA’ over northeast and adjoining east central Arabian sea and Cyclonic Storm ‘BULBUL’ over northwest and adjoining West-Central Bay of Bengal. Other alerts like Snowfall over hills, hailstorms and Western Disturbance were also disseminated by issuing press releases.
Low cost device for ocean states forecast and mapping potential fishing zones launched:
For seamless and effective dissemination of emergency information and communication on disaster warnings, Potential Fishing Zones  and Ocean States Forecasts  to fishermen, the Government on 9th October launched the Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information  device. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services , an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences , joined hands with Airports Authority of India  to utilize the GAGAN  satellite system to transmit the PFZ, OSF and disaster warnings to fishermen with GAGAN system consisting of three geosynchronous satellites . GAGAN foot-print covers the entire Indian Ocean round the clock.
Government launched Special Weather Services for Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj
The government on 14th January launched special weather services for the benefit of people visiting Prayagraj during Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela 2019 was held at Prayagraj during January-March 2019. A mobile application named "Kumbh Mela Weather Service" was developed to disseminate the live weather information  as observed in all the above four sites. The Mobile App was available for downloading from Google Store.
3-day International Symposium on “Advances in Agro-meteorology for managing climatic risks of farmers” organised at New Delhi:
Considering the urgent need of sharing the agro-meteorological knowledge among researchers, policy makers, industry and farmers to learn from each other, identify the technologies/practices and develop a roadmap for risk management, the Association of Agro Meteorologists  organized a 3-day International Symposium on “Advances in Agro Meteorology for Managing Climatic Risks of Farmers”  at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi  beginning 11th February, 2019. The symposium was jointly organized with India Meteorological Department, Indian Centre of Agricultural Research -Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Vice President addressed the Silver Jubilee celebrations of NIOT in Chennai; sought innovative solutions to conserve water and tackle climate change, pollution:
Inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of National Institute of Ocean Technology  in Chennai on 3rd November, the Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu said technology was needed for protection of coastal areas from negative impacts of climate change and for development of blue coastal infrastructure for the benefit of society.
The NIOT was established in November 1993 as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India by the then Department of Ocean Development. NIOT has established itself as one of the premier institutes in the world, working on various ocean technologies.
Visit of UK’s Prince Charles to India Meteorological Department
Prince Charles visited the India Meteorological Department  on 13th November, 2019. Dr. M. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, IMD welcomed His Royal Highness Prince Charles to IMD. DGM IMD highlighted the evolution of cyclone warning system aftermath of Odisha Super Cyclone in 1999 which led to loss of 10,000 human deaths to the current modernised early warning system of IMD which has minimised the loss of lives to less than 100 due to very severe cyclonic storms crossing the coast since 2013. The modernised system has not only helped India, but also the 13 countries in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea region to minimize loss of lives to less than 100. His Highness appreciated the accurate predictions during cyclone FANI which crossed Odisha coast in May, 2019 and recent cyclone Bulbul which crossed West Bengal-Bangladesh coast in November, 2019.
MoU between India and the UK on Cooperation in Weather and Climate Sciences:
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28th February was apprised of the MoU between India and United Kingdom  on Cooperation in Weather and Climate Sciences. The MoU was signed on 28th January 2019, under which, an Implementation Agreement on Weather and climate science for service partnership will also be signed between India and the UK.
MoU on Antarctic cooperation between India and Argentina:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on 27th March was apprised about an MoU signed in February, 2019 between India and Argentina on Antarctic cooperation. The MoU will help scientific cooperation on projects in the fields of Earth sciences, as well as those related to the protection and conservation of the natural environment of Antarctica and the Southern Oceans.